Reviews for PHP Web Development with Dreamweaver MX 2004

1. I must have the wrong book

   Rated 2 out of 5 stars, July 12st, 2006

   After reading all the positive reviews about this book I though this has to be the book for me....I perfect begineers guide. However after tearing my hair out for 3 days I realised that this book is just vague, to start with, which just made it difficult to work with. The explanations about php were great, and I though yes this book deserves all the credit it has recieved, however half way through the 2nd chapter you are refered to a section at the end of the book, which explains how to set up php/apache/mysql. However the versions are out of date,which means as soon as you hit a problem, you spend 2 hours fishing around online forums to find the answer! To be honest if it wasn't for the sample I downloaded from sitepoint.com(Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL, 3rd ed.) I would still have been fighting with apache and mysql...actually I am still fighting with phpmyadmin!!
   
   This book just wasn't for me...

2. Wow!

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, March 12rd, 2006

   This is easily the most readable book I have ever read on any IT related topic. The text is so easy to read I can't put it down! The sections on PHP and mySQL are excellent and give a real leg up to anyone like myself looking to use the more advanced features of Dreamweaver. On the strength of what I have learned from this book I am seriously considering developing my own dynamic site from scratch rather than follow the Mambo/Joomla route.

3. Excellent starting point for beginners!

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, July 12th, 2005

   I have only a basic understanding of programming languages and I was looking for a book to help me develop web pages further.
   This was the perfect solution.
   I found the book to be clear and concise, it follows a logical sequence that takes you through the fundamentals of MySql and PHP before explaining how to use both effectively using Dreamweaver with a local and remote web server environment.
   
   What is very helpful in this book is the case study at the end which takes you step by step through building a complete dynamic site.
   The end of the book is devoted to explaining in detail how to configure Dreamweaver ( a task in it's own right!)
   If you are looking to develop dynamic web pages with the PHP / MySql combination for the first time I would recommend this book as an excellent starting point.

4. EXCELLENT PHP AND DREAMWEAVER INTRO!!

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, June 12th, 2005

   Having recently moved over from programming in Coldfusion to PHP, I was seeking a good, down to earth book, that showed how to develop PHP, using the Dreamweaver environment.

   This book not only covers a multitude of useful tips and hints for combining the two, using a logical and free flowing format, but also covers diverse subjects, such as conforming to changing web standards and CSS integration.

   It is a very good book for the money and packed full of useful information. It is obviously not designed to be a comprehensive reference to PHP, or Dreamweaver MX, but is an excellent introduction to combining the two technologies.

5. Top Notch

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, October 12rd, 2004

   I purchased this book when it was first released in the UK and have cover-to-cover'd it twice now.

   The pace of learning is gentle and assumes that the reader has no knowledge of PHP.

   The thing I liked most about it was the chapter on building a CMS. It builds on what you have learned earlier in the book and by the end of it you have a very functional application that will certainly have many practical uses.

   Great!!